I preserved the ward-stone recording.
All of this would serve as evidence later.
My mother approached with a bowl of forest berries.
"What are you watching? Your face has gone pale."
Her health had always been fragile, and I refused to let anything disturb her peace.
"Everything is fine. Let us watch the Moonrise Celebration together."
As the hour approached midnight, a commotion erupted beyond our threshold.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Someone was pounding against the ward-sealed door with violent force.
I peered through the window toward the courtyard below. Kael Stormhart's traveling carriage sat at the entrance to our den.
Dread coiled in my stomach. I immediately activated the ward-stone's vision recording.
The moment my father unlatched the door, Kael burst through. Behind him came his mother, his brother, and the rest of their pack.
"The Moonblessing token! Hand it over!"
Morwenna Duskthorn demanded before anyone could draw breath.
I met her gaze without flinching.
"My Moonblessing. Why should I surrender it to any of you?"
"That blessing belongs to the mated pair!"
Morwenna's voice rang with false authority.
"Kael is entitled to half!"
I lowered myself into a chair with deliberate calm.